To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Professional Services Agreement with St. Joseph Health Northern California for Incumbent Worker Training in the Amount of $16,750
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the Professional Services Agreement with St. Joseph Health Northern California for Incumbent Worker Training for fiscal years (FY) 2025-26 and 2026-27 in the amount of $16,750; and
2. Authorize the County Administrative Officer to execute this agreement.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: A Diverse, Equitable & Robust Economy
Strategic Plan Category: 2001 - Promote strong economic resiliency and growth
DISCUSSION:
In October 2025, staff from St. Joseph Health Northern California contacted the Humboldt County Workforce Development Board (HCWDB) to request support for incumbent worker training for 50 nurses employed in the hospital’s intensive care unit and emergency department. St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka serves as the only trauma center on the North Coast, providing critical emergency and trauma services to residents across Humboldt County. As the region’s primary trauma care facility, maintaining a highly trained nursing workforce is essential to ensuring patients receive timely and effective care during life-threatening emergencies.
To strengthen the skills of its nursing staff and maintain high standards of trauma care, St. Joseph Health Northern California proposes enrolling 50 nurses in Trauma Care After Resuscitation certification training. This nationally recognized training program provides advanced instruction on the care of critically ill and injured patients following initial resuscitation, helping clinical staff improve patient outcomes during the most critical stages of treatment. The certification enhances nurses’ clinical decision-making, interdisciplinary coordination and ability to manage complex trauma cases within both the emergency department and intensive care settings.
The HCWDB training agreement will be funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult program. A core function of WIOA programs, incumbent worker training allows employers to upgrade the skills of their current workforce while maintaining employment and improving service delivery and the opportunity to higher wages. Funding for this training is authorized pursuant to WIOA Sections 122(h)(i), 134(d)(4), 134(G)(ii), 134(c)(3)(H) and 194(4), as well as the Employment Development Department’s Workforce Services Directive 19-01.
The HCWDB approved this Incumbent Worker Training opportunity during its meeting on Nov. 21, 2025. Supporting this training aligns with the board’s broader workforce development goals by helping a major regional healthcare provider retain skilled workers while strengthening the local healthcare workforce. Healthcare has been consistently identified as a high-priority industry in both the Humboldt County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and the HCWDB’s North Coast Regional Plan. Workforce shortages in nursing and other clinical occupations remain a critical challenge across the region, particularly in rural communities where access to specialized medical care is limited.
All nurses participating in the training will be enrolled in services through the America’s Job Center of California system, locally known as the Humboldt Workforce Coalition. Participants will be registered and tracked in the state’s workforce data system, CalJOBS, in accordance with state and federal reporting requirements associated with WIOA-funded training programs.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act Adult Funding (1120287).
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (1120287) |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$16,750 |
$0 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$16,750 |
$0 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
|
Funding Sources (1120287) |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
State/Federal Funds |
$16,750 |
$0 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$16,750 |
$0 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
The professional services agreement with St. Joseph Health Northern California has a maximum payable of $16,750. Funding is available through the Economic Development’s WIOA Adult Program, allowable pursuant to Title 20 Code of Federal Regulations Sections 680.750-680.820. Appropriations in the amount of $16,750 have been included in Workforce Investment (1120287) for FY 2025-26. It is anticipated that the full amount of the agreement will be expended in FY 2025-26 for upfront cost of training registrations, while services outlined in Exhibit A will continue through FY 2026-27.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Staffing will not be impacted by this board item.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
St. Joseph Health Northern California.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board could choose not to approve this agreement, however, this is not recommended as this agreement will provide necessary training for local healthcare workers.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. St. Joseph Health Northern California FY25-26/26-27 Professional Services Agreement.
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A